Transcending Aesthetics
by DeviantMugen
Summary: After Chad and Tatsuki have a discussion on relationships with their friends their loneliness and flaws begin to plague their thoughts, but will a chance encounter change things for them? Rated M for language, and possible future lemon.
1. The Encounter

**I don't own _Bleach_, but that should be painfully obvious...**

**Well this is my first fanfic; I did it because I haven't written in a while, because there are only two other stories that pair Chad with Tatsuki, and because I was inspired by _Dragon of the Underworld_ and _luvly-josie's_ stories. So thanks for the inspiration, you two.**

**Enjoy and review. I want to see if I did as well as my friends tell me; I need unbiased opinions, so review, people! Tell me what you enjoyed (or what you hated), my next update depends on how many people read this chapter.**

**The italics, unless they're in between quotes, represent the characters' inner monologue.**

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_**"Transcending Aesthetics"**_

**Chapter 1: The Encounter**

Yasutora "Chad" Sado is your typical teenage guy; enrolled in Karakura High, he spends his days in school and around his friends, Ichigo Kurosaki, Uryu Ishida, Keigo Asano, and Mizuiro Kojima. They partake of typical teenage activities, which include hanging out, and talking about girls. Of course, he and Ichigo have their hidden agenda as spirit conscious people who help slay hollows in Karakura Town.

Tatsuki Arisawa is not your typical teenage girl; a tomboy and karate practitioner with dreams of becoming Vale Tudo Champion, she spends most of her time with her best friend, Orihime Inoue. Her days consist mostly of training and keeping Chizuru Honshou's advances away from Orihime.

Although Ichigo and the rest of the guys had frequent encounters with Tatsuki, Chad had never actually interacted with her. In fact, the only reason Chad interacted with Orihime was due to her spirit powers and their past adventures in the Soul Society. Chad often wondered what Tatsuki was like. Since he had never said two words to her, he only knew her personality from talks with Ichigo and the gang, until today.

As the boys were eating their lunch on the roof, their usual hangout, they started talking about their female classmates

Keigo smiled curiously, "So, Ichigo, what's up with you and Rukia? You two spend an awful lot of time together!"

"Shut up, Keigo! It's none of your business, so butt out," Ichigo shot back, in his usual indifferent, annoyed tone.

"You're such a grouch! Maybe that's why the ladies stay away from you; it's like you're a leper or something! No, you're worse! You have no physical condition, so the only reason people stay away from you has to be your personality!"

"Well, it beats being a loudmouth moron who hits on anything with big breasts and a skirt!"

"That's so cold," Keigo uttered, hanging his head in shame.

Mizuiro laughed off the exchange, then proceeded to ask Ichigo the same question Keigo had been berated for asking, "So Ichigo, what _is_ up with you and Rukia, seriously?"

"Oh, man! Not you too, Mizuiro! We're just _friends_! What don't you people get about that?!" Ichigo bellowed.

"He's right, Mizuiro. Besides a girl like Rukia Kuchiki wouldn't be with a guy like Ichigo anyway," Uryu chimed in, his tone quite condescending.

"What the hell's that supposed to mean, Uryu!?"

"Simply that a delicate girl like Rukia wouldn't waste her time on a guy like you, Ichigo."

"You bastard... You think you're better than me?!"

Before their squabble could go any further, Chad's brusque voice interrupted, "Stop it, you two; this is senseless." _I swear, not even because they're allies can these two get along..._

"You're right, Chad," replied Ichigo. He was pleased that someone had the power to quell the petty arguments that took place within their group. "Besides, who cares what Uryu thinks, anyway," he muttered to himself.

_Such senseless aggression; there's no need for these petty arguments, especially among friends._

As Chad mulled over the guys' petty squabble, he failed to notice that it was ongoing once more, thanks to another comment by Keigo.

Mizuiro, being the observer and not wanting to butt in and make the argument worse, noticed Chad was lost in thought, "What are you thinking about, Chad?"

Chad's answer was a succinct (and typical), "Nothing."

"Maybe we should be asking _who_ you're thinking about, Chad?!" Keigo blurted out.

"No one," he replied, his tone quite annoyed. "Why do you automatically assume people are fantasizing about girls every moment of their lives, Keigo? We're not all like you," Chad shot back. His uncharacteristically long and biting answer caught the rest of the group off guard.

"What?! Why are you people all so cold?! What did I ever do to deserve being treated this way?!"

"Shut up, Keigo! Come to think of it, I've never seen you give a girl a second glance, Chad. What's with that?" Ichigo asked, sincerely curious regarding Chad's indifference whenever the subject of girls came up, which was often.

"I've never noticed. I guess you're right; I suppose most girls find me intimidating due to my size, just like they find you intimidating because of your face, Ichigo."

"Hmm, that's true, I guess. Do you find any girls attractive, though, Chad?"

"Hmm, well, most of our classmates are attractive. Still, I can't say I pay special attention to any of them, so I can't really pick."

"I guess you've got a point there, Chad. Maybe you should, I mean you've got a lot to offer. I'm sure that there's at least one girl who's willing to overlook your size, just like Rukia managed to overlook my 'scary' face," Ichigo paused abruptly, realizing he'd said too much.

"Aha! I knew it! You and Rukia, eh? Ichigo, you sly dog! How could you have kept this from us?!" Keigo yelled in his obnoxious tone.

Just like that, the focus and attention shifted from Chad to Ichigo as he was bombarded with endless questions from his curious friends.

As their commotion went on, Chad immersed himself in his thoughts once again. _Hmm, I really haven't paid much attention to the girls at school... could Ichigo be right? Could a girl truly look past my size and love me for what's inside? I wish I had someone to offer his wisdom. I wonder if Abuelo could've advised me on this?_

As all these thoughts rushed through his head, Chad gently spun his medallion—a memento of his grandfather—between his fingers and wondered if what Ichigo said could happen to him.

* * *

Meanwhile, under the big tree, the girls were enjoying their lunch and having their own conversation...

So far, all the girls had been bombarding Rukia with questions regarding her and Ichigo, all of which were met with the same response, "Ichigo and I are _just friends_."

While the interrogation was going on, Orihime was daydreaming about all her friends and her competing for Ichigo's affections. As always, her imagination was quite over the top.

Chizuru, as usual, was lusting after Orihime. As she was about to embrace her, Tatsuki stepped in with a hard punch to the redhead's shoulder, "Ouch! What was that for?!" cried Chizuru.

"You know damn well what that was for!" replied Tatsuki, her patience wearing thin. "You need to give this shit a rest, Chizuru; it's getting old!"

"You're such a killjoy, Tatsuki! Maybe that's why no boy will come near you, well, that and your boyish hairdo and attitude!"

"What did you say?!" Tatsuki bellowed. She couldn't believe what she'd just heard; she couldn't fathom anyone actually saying that to her face. _How dare she say that to me? In front of everyone, to boot! Boys like me, don't they? Then again, I've never been on a date or had my first kiss... am I really as unattractive as she says?_

Tatsuki was visibly shaking in a combination of anger and self-doubt. The girls had stopped questioning Rukia and now had their full attention on the argument that was unfolding; even Orihime had managed to snap out of her daydream to see what was going on.

"Tatsuki, what's wrong?" asked Orihime, the only one among them who wasn't too afraid to speak up.

Tatsuki lowered her head for a second, she could feel her eyes welling up and wasn't sure whether they were tears of sadness or anger. "Nothing, Orihime. Let's go."

"Okay, Tatsuki!" answered a relieved Orihime. "Come on, Rukia, let's go!"

The three girls left without another word and made their way back to their classroom, just as class was about to resume.

The bell rang and the rest of the girls and the boys made their way into the classroom and took their seats. "Ok, students, let's pick up where we left off, shall we?!" bellowed the teacher. Tatsuki's inner turmoil, however, proved to be too much, as her thoughts drowned out the teacher's lesson

_I can't believe she actually said that! She was lucky Orihime spoke up when she did or I would've killed her! I didn't think that this would bother me so much, though. I mean, while I don't have too much time for boys, I've never exactly been hit on or asked out, either. Is it due to my practice of martial arts? Could there be something to what Chizuru said about my hair and my attitude? Do boys really find me as unattractive as she said?_

The bell rang with its usual cacophony, stirring Tatsuki from her thoughts; the school day was over and she hadn't paid any attention to the lesson. The students stormed out of the classroom, eager to go about their daily, non-scholastic activities.

Tatsuki left the schoolyard and headed toward the dojo, hoping that a good day's training would get her mind off things. As usual she kicked everyone's asses; no one could match her prowess at martial arts. She worked up quite a sweat, so she decided to take a shower before heading home. She undressed, her uniform falling to the floor, revealing Tatsuki's glorious curves. Tossing aside her underwear, she stepped into the shower and stood there for a while as the water made her body glisten—she was truly a sight to behold. With her 34 C Breasts, she was nothing to scoff at; the rest of her body (her legs and butt in particular) was firmly sculpted and very sexy.

Tatsuki lathered up her body with the washcloth, caressing her curves gently, making sure not to miss a spot. As she cleansed her body, her mind started to cloud with thoughts of Chizuru's insults once again...

_How can boys not want me? I'm not ugly, or in bad shape, for that matter. How would she even know what she's talking about? It's not like she even **likes** boys, and I sure as hell haven't seen any guys asking **her** out... not that she'd agree, either way. Besides, what's she being so high and mighty about? I seem to recall that perverted lesbian peeking at me in the showers after gym as well. What a hypocritical bitch. Ugh, I don't know why I let her words affect me so much anyway; she's just trying to faze me so that she'll be able to make moves on Orihime without me running interference. Clever plan, Chizuru, but it's done for now that I know your angle. As of now, I shall stop worrying about your words!_

Tatsuki finished her shower, dried off, got dressed and started to walk home. _Not **all** girls have boyfriends! Even some of the most girly ones are single, I mean just look at Orihime! She's beautiful and girly, yet Ichigo doesn't (well, didn't) return her feelings; he's with Rukia._

Tatsuki kept walking, too indulged in her thoughts to notice that a hollow was eying her from a nearby rooftop.

_Mm, she looks delicious..._ thought the hollow, as it began to swoop down toward Tatsuki at full speed.

On a nearby park bench sat Chad, busy pondering Ichigo's words, when his eyes caught sight of a hollow swooping down on someone. _Uh oh, a hollow! I don't sense Ichigo or Rukia around to take it out, either. I guess I'm going to have to deal with this one._

Chad got up off the bench and started to run toward the person the hollow was about to attack. He called forth his _Brazo Derecho del Gigante_ and his _Brazo Izquierdo del Diablo_ as he dashed toward the potential victim, and as he drew closer, he noticed it was Tatsuki. _Oh no, it's Tatsuki! And she hasn't sensed it!_

"MOVE!" Chad shouted as reached Tatsuki's position.

"Huh, isn't that Chad? What's he so worked up about? Actually, what the hell's up with his arms?"

Chad's thick, somewhat unwieldy arms wrapped around Tatsuki's waist just in the nick of time, taking her safely out of the hollow's path. He set her down on the ground gently as the hollow hovered above them, "Stay back, I'll deal with the hollow," Chad ordered.

"The what?!" yelled Tatsuki as Chad stood his ground against the grotesque aggressor.

"You'll pay for that, punk!" barked the hollow, livid that its meal had been interrupted.

The hollow approached and Chad braced himself, shielding his body with his _Brazo Derecho del Gigante_. As the hollow collided with his shield, Chad pushed back and sent it flying in the opposite direction, leaving the assailant stunned.

"Lucky break, human, but this time I won't be denied!" it screamed, diving toward Tatsuki once again. Chad had already anticipated the hollow's move and had stepped in front of Tatsuki, prepping his _Brazo Izquierdo del Diablo_ for a quick, decisive blow.

Bewildered at the sight before her, Tatsuki exclaimed, "Chad, what the hell is that thing?!"

"Hollow. Don't worry, I'll deal with it," he answered in a soft tone. She wasn't quite sure just what was happening, but Chad's words reassured her.

"_LA MUERTE!_" shouted Chad, thrusting his left arm forward in one powerful motion. The hollow had a horrified look on its face as a skull indentation showed up around him, but before it knew what had taken place, it was gone.

Tatsuki stood in awe at the event that had unfolded before her. _What **is** this guy?_

"Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?" asked Chad, concerned over the rough grab he had to make on Tatsuki to get her out of harm's way.

"Of course I'm all right! Though I probably wouldn't be if you hadn't come along, so, thanks, Chad."

"You know my name?" Chad was visibly confused, as most people outside of his circle addressed him as 'Sado.'

"Well, yeah! I mean you're Ichigo's friend; he always goes on about what a great guy you are. From the looks of it, it seems he was telling the truth."

Chad wasn't too shocked to hear that Ichigo talked about him, since they had been good friends for a while. "Sorry I had to handle you so roughly, Tatsuki, but you looked like you were on another planet."

Tatsuki looked amused, flashing a friendly smile at the boy in front of him before responding, "Rough? That was nothing compared to what I deal with in the dojo every day. Still, it _could've_ been worse. You saved my life, thank you so much, Chad."

_Wow, she's beautiful... and she's smiling at me._ "Uh, no problem, Tatsuki. I couldn't just stand by and let a beautiful girl like you get hurt." _...Wait, did I just say that out loud?!_ Chad panicked, realizing what he'd just said.

_Did he just call me beautiful?_

Tatsuki couldn't help but blush at the unexpected compliment, her cheeks turning slightly rosy. "Did you just say I was beautiful, Chad?"

_Oh, man! I **did** say it out loud... and she heard me! What do I do now?!_ "Uh... yes, that's what I said."

_Wow, he actually said it. I thought I might've been my imagination._ "Do you really mean that, Chad?"

"Of course I do. I would never lie about something like that." _No use in denying it, since she clearly heard me._

"Well, aren't you honest!" Tatsuki laughed. "Still, why do you look so flustered? It's not like you don't talk to any beautiful girls; you talk to Orihime, after all."

"We've been allies in the past, so it's not as personal as this conversation is. You know, we just talk shop."

"Fair enough! I can't believe we've never interacted, though, especially since I talk to that idiot Keigo! Well, it's nice to meet you, Chad; I'm Tatsuki Arisawa," Tatsuki said as she extended her hand to Chad.

Chad followed her example, "Yasutora Sado, and the pleasure's all mine," he replied as their hands met. Her grip was firm and her hands were rough, but it was a warm embrace, nonetheless.

"Uh, can I walk you home, Tatsuki? You never know when another hollow might show..."

Tatsuki blushed slightly, still not used to this kind of attention, "Um, sure! That would be great, Chad."

Chad stood there for a moment, happy, yet confused. A tap of Tatsuki's elbow on his arm snapped him out of his confusion. "Oh! Uh, shall we?"

As they started walking, neither could believe the spark that was currently coursing through their bodies—it felt incredible.

After a few minutes of walking side by side, Tatsuki broke the silence, "Just what the hell was that thing, Chad?"

"You mean you could see it? It's called a hollow, and they attack humans to suck out their souls. They are more partial to souls with spiritual power, so since you could see it, I guess that made you the perfect candidate."

"I see. In any case, I might've been a goner had it not been for you. Thank you, Chad."

"You're welcome, Tatsuki," Chad replied, his face reddening as he spoke. _This is nice..._ he thought.

_A conversation with a guy is this easy, huh? I have to get attacked by monsters more often._

Tatsuki held back a chuckle, amused by her train of thought. "So, Chad, what's with your arms? How do you transform them like you did back there? Is that a side effect of your trip from Hueco Mundo?"

"You could say- Wait, how do you know about our trip there?" asked a baffled Chad.

"Mizuiro, Keigo and I watched you guys leave, actually. Afterwards, Mr. Urahara explained to us what was going on."

"I see. What did he say, exactly?"

"Well, he told us you guys were going to rescue Orihime from the Arrancars. He also told us the reason why you guys are usually ducking out of class at the same time; you exterminate any hollows that show up. He also told us how you trained with Renji to become stronger in order to help Ichigo out. I'm so glad you guys brought Orihime back safe and sound, thank you."

"You're welcome... but I didn't do much, it was mostly Ichigo and the Captains who came to back us up. Actually, the rest of us were in pretty bad shape, for the most part," Chad confessed, feeling slightly ashamed.

"Don't talk like that; I'm sure you did plenty to help out, Chad!"

"Thanks for that. Ichigo said the same thing, but I guess it's nice to hear an unbiased opinion."

"Ichigo always goes on about what a great guy you are Chad, so you shouldn't doubt yourself."

"Thanks, Tatsuki. I'll keep that in mind."

They continued their walk to Tatsuki's house, carrying on their conversation the whole way there, and before they knew it, they had arrived at her doorstep.

"Well, this is me... Thanks for everything, Chad; saving my life, and walking me home, too bad there aren't more guys out there like you."

"It was no big deal, I'm sure you would've done the same for me," Chad replied modestly. "Uh, do you maybe want to... hang out... sometime?"

_Hang out? I wonder what that would actually entail? What if this conversation was just a fluke? Oh, forget it! I'll gain nothing by stressing over this, so I'll just say yes and hope for the best._

"Sure, Chad, I'd like that."

_Wow, she actually said yes. Now all I have to do is plan out what we should do... Movie? No, too forward. A cup of coffee? No, too cliché! Something simple, like a walk in the park? ...Actually, that could work. Uh oh, the silence has gone on too long, even for me, time to say something._

"Cool, do you want to go for a walk sometime?"

"That sounds great. Well, my parents are probably worried sick, so I should head inside. Bye, Chad!"

"Yeah, I'll see you later, Tatsuki."

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**I hope you liked it, and as I said up above, the next chapter will come depending on the reviews I get, so review!**

**_(12/6/2012: I've updated this chapter to improve on some rather glaring grammatical errors, as well as to tone down some of the more groan-worthy writing. Honestly, I don't know what I was on back in 2007, but yikes. I didn't change the chapter too dramatically, though, so I hope you still enjoy it. Also, I'll be doing the same for chapters two and three and after I finish, I'm planning to start writing chapter four—after more than a year without updating!—so look forward to that.)_**


	2. Inadvertent Wisdom

**Hey guys, it's been a while hasn't it? You have no idea how sorry I am that I let, I think a year, go by without updating this story, but my inspiration just seriously faded. But enough about that, the important thing is that the second chapter you guys have been wanting is finally here! Now as you know I'm making these characters my own here, so don't be surprised that the way they act/the things they say are very different from the manga/anime. The important thing is to enjoy the story right? Not to get caught up in the minute details. Anyway, enjoy the story... **

**Remember I don't own these characters...**

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"**Transcending Aesthetics"**

Chapter 2: Inadvertent Wisdom

"It's been a week since that day, has enough time passed? Should I ask her out on that walk now? What if she's changed her mind? Hmm…" Chad pondered aloud in his apartment.

* * *

"It's been a week since that day, hasn't enough time passed? Why hasn't he asked me out on that walk yet? Did he change his mind? Mm…" Tatsuki fretted quietly in her room.

* * *

_*I need to clear my head; I'm going to take a walk.*_

Chad locked the door to his apartment and headed toward the park to find a quiet spot where he could think in peace and hopefully find an answer to his dilemma.

_*It shouldn't be this hard to determine when to ask her, after all she already agreed on the walk, so why should it matter when it is I ask her?*_ "Hmmm…" sighed Chad.

"Wow, that sure was a heavy sigh there Chad, something wrong?" asked Keigo who was sitting on a nearby bench as Chad happened to walk by.

"Keigo... No, nothing's wrong, just thinking."

"Oh? What about?"

"It's nothing, forget it."

"Hmm, judging by your reactions and, even vaguer than usual, responses, I'd say you have a girl problem."

"No, that's not it at all."

"You can't fool me Chad, the signs are all there."

"Okay, seems you're pretty astute regardless of your demeanor, yes I have a certain situation with a girl."

"Ha! See I knew it! You can't fool me Chad. So spill it, who is this girl?"

"Well, I can't do that Keigo, see we're not really in a relationship, we've yet to even go out on a date. That's beside the point though; you don't seem the type to keep it to yourself if I were to tell you, no offense."

"What is it with you people? No one gives me any respect around here! You know there _is_ more than one side to me Chad…" Keigo remarked seriously.

_*I've never seen Keigo make that expression before…* _remarked Chad to himself. "Multi-faceted Keigo? That does sound a bit farfetched wouldn't you say? Then again, you were able to discern my predicament by simply reading my reactions…"

"Look, forget that, start off by telling me what problem it is you have with this girl, whether or not you decide to divulge her identity is entirely up to you."

"Well, I suppose it couldn't hurt to hear you out. Alright, here it goes. You see, I met this girl a week ago, I've seen her around school, but last week is the first time we've ever actually spoken to each other. Anyway, I saved her from a certain predicament and then escorted her home, as we were walking we started to connect a bit, and she's a wonderful girl, exceptionally beautiful as well. I let it slip out that I thought she was gorgeous, and really that's how I found myself in this predicament, I know she at least enjoys my company, but for some reason I'm still hesitant to ask her out like I promised her I would. Still, I've asked myself a few times already, whether she even remembers that engagement," Chad sighed.

"Wow, well that was certainly a mouthful Chad, but the solution could not be simpler. Just ask her out. You said it yourself that she's already agreed to it, so what's holding you back? I know this seems confusing since it's the first time it's happened to you, and I know the fears that come with this experience are certainly daunting, but you have to go for it man. Trust me, if you don't, you'll regret it…" Keigo advised.

"Hmm, that's pretty sound advice I suppose, though you're the last person I expected to hear it from, again no offense Keigo. Still, judging by your words I'd say you're pretty knowledgeable on this subject, may I ask how?"

"I know it's hard to believe because usually I go around acting like a jackass, but I've experienced love once myself Chad, and it's the most beautiful thing in the world…" replied Keigo, whose voice wavered.

"Are you okay Keigo? You're voice sounded a bit strained."

"Yeah, I'm fine, it's just that this subject made some old memories resurface for a bit… Oh Kaoru…" Keigo sighed.

"Hmm, Kaoru? Who's she?"

"She's the love of my life…"

"You have a girlfriend Keigo?"

"Had, she passed away last year," replied Keigo as an expression of sorrow washed over his face.

"Oh, I'm sorry…"

"Oh, it's okay, I'm the one that brought it up, I guess the wound still fresh…"

"What happened? Actually, forget I asked."

"It's okay… she was in a bad car accident, she was killed instantly… Her image is still permanently etched in my mind, sometimes I wish I could forget her, but it seems as though it's still too soon," Keigo replied amidst strained pauses.

"I had no idea… Do the others at school know?"

"They don't, and I work hard everyday to make sure they don't, hiding behind that obnoxious façade."

"So, your general demeanor, it's all an act?"

"That's right, I'd much rather be perceived as a fool than as a burden…"

"Sounds like you really loved her. I'm sorry for your loss, but you don't give us enough credit, no one would consider you a burden Keigo, not if they knew what happened. Hell if anything they consider you a burden now because they don't know there's a reason for your obnoxious attitude, were they to realize it's simply employed to mask your pain then they would no doubt understand you better and try to help you ease your sorrows. Keeping these feelings bottled up isn't good for your health, believe me. When my abuelo passed away I had plenty of conflicting emotions that I had to deal with, and I was able to once I had a good cry and talked about it with others. You should vent as well, and you'd have someone to vent to if you'd let them know that you're hurting," advised Chad.

"Ah, so there's wisdom hidden behind the stoicism?" Keigo joked. "You're right though, and I know you are, it's just difficult to talk about with others. I _have_ cried though, but maybe it's as you said, until I cry about it with someone else present to console me I won't be able to rid myself of this burden…"

"It's been a day full of surprises for both of us it would seem, as I wasn't expecting such sound advice from you, but I'm glad I ran into you today, you've really helped me put things in perspective. As thanks for your help, I'll disclose her identity… it's Tatsuki," said Chad.

"Tatsuki huh? Well good luck Chad and I hope you find happiness with her comparable, or beyond, to what I had with Kaoru…" smiled Keigo.

"Thanks Keigo, and if you ever need someone to talk to, you know where to find me," replied Chad.

"Heh, you know if you'd have told me that a week ago I would've laughed…" said Keigo with a smirk as he walked away.

As the two parted ways they both left with a profound sense of satisfaction, as they had both, albeit inadvertently, found the answer to their respective dilemmas…

* * *

The sun was setting as Chad made his way upstairs to his apartment, as he approached it he saw a familiar form standing outside his apartment; it was Tatsuki, about to knock on the door.

"Hey Tatsuki, I was just about to call y-" was all Chad managed to say before getting shoved up against the wall, the strength of the shove knocking the wind out of him. _*Man she's strong…*_ thought Chad as he gasped for breath.

"What's the matter with you Chad? It's been a week since you said you'd ask me out, and you've yet to call my house or approach me at school, even once! I thought you liked me…" said Tatsuki, her face flushed in a mixture of anger and embarrassment.

"I was about to-" groaned Chad before being interrupted once more by the strong girl in front of him.

"Forget it okay, I don't want to hear it, I guess this is what I get for opening up to someone…" Tatsuki trailed off. "I thought you were diff-" she began to say before a finger pressed up against her lips, silencing her.

"I'm sorry Tatsuki," said Chad in a raspy voice. "I didn't mean to make you feel neglected, I just had a lot on my mind, I wasn't even sure you remembered what went on that day. I tried to approach you at school, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it, and I tried to call your house, but I'd always end up hanging up after the second ring. I've just never felt like this before so I was a bit taken aback, and of course very nervous…"

"Oh Chad…" sighed Tatsuki.

"Let me finish," he interrupted. "Now that I know you do recall that day, and the promise I made you, I'd be honored if you let me take you out on that walk tomorrow. In fact, since it'll Saturday, we could just spend the whole day getting to know each other better."

"I'd like that Chad, very much," she replied, her expression now softened, her cheeks a light crimson.

As Chad looked down at her tender smile he wrapped his arms around her, enveloping her in his warm embrace.

"Huh?" gasped Tatsuki.

"Of course I'll have to go get a check up at the Kurosaki clinic to see if my lungs didn't collapse from that shove…" Chad joked.

"Idiot," she replied as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Well, I should get home before my parents notice I snuck out…" said Tatsuki as they released each other from their embrace. "You'll call tomorrow right? You know what'll happen if you don't right?" she smirked.

Chad rubbed his chest a bit, it still stung, "All too well," he replied. "Just be sure you're by the phone, I'm not good at small talk…"

"_Really_? I wasn't aware…" she giggled. "Don't worry, I will be," she replied as she made her way downstairs and walked off toward her house.

Chad watched Tatsuki walk off until he lost sight of her once night enshrouded all of the surroundings in its opaque embrace. He made his way inside his apartment, laying down on his bed and closing his eyes.

* * *

Elsewhere, Tatsuki snuck back inside her room, her parents none the wiser, she turned off the light and lay down on her bed to rest up for tomorrow.

* * *

As they both drifted off to sleep, one last thought flashed across their minds…

_*Tomorrow will be a great day.*_

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**Again, sorry it took so long folks, but lack of inspiration is seriously a bitch... =_=**

**As for chapter 3, well, needless to say it'll probably be a while, so I hope this can tide you guys over until then. I will try to shorten the length of your wait considerably this time, to make up for such a long wait for this chapter. **

**Oh yeah, and remember to review! That tells me that you guys are still following the story and gives me more incentive to continue it... _  
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	3. Saturday, Part I

**I wonder if there's still any readers actually waiting on these chapters? Well, either way, here's one I've had for a while; it's short and sets up the date to come. Without further ado, here's chapter 3...**

_**I don't own these characters...**_

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_"**Transcending Aesthetics"**_

Chapter 3: Saturday

"I do…" mumbled a slumbering Tatsuki.

"You do what?" asked her mother as she approached her bed.

"Huh? Oh, mom, it's you… nothing. I was just having a dream," replied a flustered Tatsuki.

"You don't say. Well it must've been some dream; it almost made you miss your morning run…"

"What? What time is it?"

"It's 5:45, don't worry you still have a good fifteen minutes to get ready. Something wrong, dear? Usually you're up a half-hour before your run, something on your mind?" inquired Tatsuki's curious mother.

"Well, I… kind of have a date today…" replied a blushing Tatsuki as she fidgeted with her fingers.

"What? A date? Oh, do tell…" replied her mother, her curiosity now piqued.

"Oh, mom! You're not going to make a big deal about this are you?"

"How can I not? If I'm not mistaken this will be your first date. So, who's the boy you'll be out with? Is he that nice Kurosaki boy?"

"Huh? No, mom, it's not Ichigo."

"Oh, I always thought you two would be cute together," mused the older woman.

"You're crazy, mom! He has a girlfriend, and even if he didn't, you know Orihime's crazy about him," bellowed Tatsuki. "Besides, I could never go out with a guy I used to make cry."

"You are so cruel," the older woman laughed. "Orihime must be crushed, though, poor girl …"

"She manages," replied Tatsuki, a wistful look washed over her face.

"So, if it's not Ichigo, then who is it, Tatsuki? Is he handsome?" the woman asked with a playful nudge.

"Ugh, you're so immature mom!" laughed Tatsuki, "But if you _must_ know his name is Yasutora Sado, he's one of Ichigo's friends and a fellow classmate…"

"_And_…?" asked the woman with a raised brow.

"And… he's… handsome," replied a crimson-faced Tatsuki.

"Ha! Now, was that so hard?" the older woman giggled.

"Oh, grow up, mom!" Tatsuki snapped.

"Okay, okay…" replied the woman with a laugh, "So, what'll the two of you be doing?"

"We're just going for a walk in the park, he said we should spend all day today getting to know each other," replied Tatsuki.

"Ooh, how romantic, this Sado boy sounds like quite the charmer, Tatsuki! Be careful not to get too caught up, okay? I'm much too young to be a grandmother just yet…" teased the amused woman.

"Mom!" shouted Tatsuki, her face now an even darker crimson hue. "Okay, get out of my room!" ordered a visibly flustered Tatsuki.

"Okay, I'll stop, honest," laughed the woman at her daughter's panicked reaction. "So, what time will he be coming by to pick you up?"

"I don't know, he said he'd ca-"

Before Tatsuki could finish, the phone on her nightstand rang, the noise echoing across the room.

*Ring! Ring!*

"Oh, I'll get it!" giggled Tatsuki's mother as she snatched the receiver off its stand before Tatsuki could even react.

"Mom, don't you dare!" threatened Tatsuki, but her words fell on deaf ears as the woman answered the phone.

"Hello, Arisawa residence, may I ask who's calling?" asked the woman as she struggled to keep her angry daughter at bay.

"Uh, this is Yasutora Sado, is Tatsuki home?" asked a nervous Chad.

"Oh, Yasutora! We were just talking about you!" replied the older woman, her smirk growing ever larger. "My, what a deep voice you have…"

"Mom, give me the phone!" growled Tatsuki.

Ignoring her daughter's demands, the woman further pursued her conversation with the reluctant Chad.

"So, Yasutora, might I inquire as to why you wish to speak to my daughter?"

"Uh, it concerns our… date," replied a slightly confused Chad.

"Oh, a date? You don't say…" teased the older woman. "Well, I don't know how comfortable I'd feel about my daughter being out with a young man I don't know."

"Mom!" seethed Tatsuki.

"I see…" replied a defeated Chad.

"Tell you what, Chad, if you have a cup of tea with us beforehand so I can get to know you a bit, I'll let you two go out. I promise I won't hold you two up for more than a half-hour. What do you say?" offered the "protective" mother.

"Sure, that would be fine," replied Chad.

"Excellent! So, when can we expect you? Preparations must be made ahead of time, you know?"

"Well, it's still a bit early, so in another hour, perhaps?"

"So, at seven, then? Sounds great, Tatsuki should be done with her run and ready by then! We'll see you here, Yasutora," says the woman in parting as she finally passes Tatsuki the phone and flees the room.

"I'm going to get you for this, mom!" Tatsuki screams after her mother, remembering that Chad's still on the line. "He- Hello, Chad?"

"Uh, hey, Tatsuki…" replies Chad, still a bit confused.

"I'm _so_ sorry about that, my mom is so annoying!" groans Tatsuki, her cheeks a light crimson. "Don't worry, I'll sneak out and meet you by the park, you don't have to come over."

"You don't have to do that, Tatsuki; I don't have any problems with stopping by…"

"Seriously? You'd put up with my mom pestering you with her incessant questions for half an hour?" asked Tatsuki, a bit bewildered.

"I don't think half an hour is too much to ask, besides, I'd rather jump this hurdle now."

"Okay, well, I'll give you a call when I'm back from my run so you can come over, okay?" replied Tatsuki before hanging up and putting on her sweatpants, windbreaker and running shoes, preparing for her run.

Once ready, she descended to stairs into the kitchen, spotting her mother hard at work brewing tea and searching for any sweets to offer, but finding none. Her mother's eagerness made her a bit worried, wonder what she could be scheming.

"What's wrong, mom?"

"Oh, there are no sweets to accompany the tea. Could you be a dear and see if you can pick some up while you're out on your run? After all, a good impression must be made," she answered with a warm smile.

"Yeah… sure thing," said Tatsuki as she headed out the door hesitantly.

Tatsuki was deep in thought as she matched her usual pace, jogging briskly through the park, her cheeks burning a bit as she realized that she and Chad would be on a date in this very park in just a while longer.

"_I wonder why mom seems so excited about this?" she pondered. "I guess maybe it's relief? I can see her reasoning, I suppose; I haven't had a date before… or a kiss."_

As she looked ahead, she noticed she'd strayed off her path and almost collided with a tree, only managing to avoid it at the last minute.

"_Crap, I need to concentrate on running!" she chastised herself. "No need to get so worked up about this now, it's only the first date."_

She continued her run, making sure not to get lost in thought, feeling relief at the fact that no one was around to witness her almost slamming face-first into the tree, since it was so early. Feeling a good burn in her calves and thighs, she looked at her watch, realizing that she'd taken longer than usual.

"Oops, better hurry home or mom might get impatient, not to mention Chad…" she whispered as she turned back and started on her way home, stopping only to buy some cakes from the bakery near the park.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Chad sat in his apartment distractedly strumming his guitar, just idling his time away as he waited for his phone to ring. He stared wistfully at the picture of his beloved Abuelo on his dresser, wondering what kind of advice he'd receive from him were he still living.

"Abuelo, I know you're watching over me, and I know that you'll make sure today goes well," whispered Chad as he twirled his coin between his fingers.

The muscular young man picked out one of his favorite long-sleeve shirts, a deep crimson one with a rose detailed on the shoulder. He fretted a bit, wondering just what he was getting himself into by agreeing to tea with Tatsuki's mother beforehand. The older woman's aloof attitude was strictly in contrast with his own, so he was visibly concerned about how he should approach conversation with her.

"It'll be like… talking to an older version of Orihime?" he pondered aloud as an image of a short-haired, big breasted woman popped up in his head, offering him an odd-looking, multi-layered cake frosted with wasabi. "Hmm…" he groaned as his stomach clenched at the thought.

"It'll be fine," he reassured himself as he buttoned his shirt just as the phone rang.

"Hello?" greeted the gruff voice on the other end of the receiver.

"Hey, Chad," replied Tatsuki in a cheerful, yet breathless tone, just cooling down after her exercise. "Listen, I'm about to get ready, so you can probably start walking over if you like, I should be ready by the time you arrive so you don't have to be alone with mom."

"Sounds good, I'll see you in a bit, Tatsuki," he replied, the sound of her breathless voice on the other end being like music to his ears.

"Awesome," she replied before hanging up, throwing her clothes off and hopping in the shower.

As Tatsuki lathered her toned body, she wondered just what she was in store for today. She had no prior experience with dating, and the only one of her friends that did (Rukia), would always nonchalantly evade the questions flung at her, though sparing Orihime's feelings might have had something to do with that. She smirked proudly, reminded of Chizuru's words.

"_Well, you perverted lesbian, look who has a date now," she boasted internally._

She hopped out of the bath after cleansing herself of the sweat she worked up over the past hour and a half, drying herself off, completely lost in thought.

As she went about the business of getting dressed, still lost in thought, she failed to notice the knock on the door, which was answered instead by her mother. As the older woman answered the door, knowing that it had to be Chad coming by for his date, she was not expecting the towering young man on the other side of the door.

"My, you're punctual, huh, Yasuto…" her voice trailed off as she opened her eyes and was faced with a muscular-looking abdomen, even under the stylish shirt. Her gaze went up for what—to her—seemed like minutes, but in reality was a mere second.

"Wow," she finally managed after looking at the young man's soulful eye, the other one covered by a thick tuft of hair. "Tatsuki likes them tall, I see," she teased before remembering her manners. "I'm sorry, Yasutora, I'm Mrs. Arisawa, please, do come in."

"Thank you, Mrs. Arisawa," he replied in his low, masculine voice, impressing the woman who felt like a child next to the lumbering young man.

"Take a seat, the tea is almost ready and Tatsuki should be down soon. She seems to take a long time to do anything now, you must've made some impression on her," she commented with a warm smile.

He looked on at the energetic older woman, admiring her kindness and her candor. "Not at all, if anything, she made the impression on me," he replied with a smile, rubbing his chest lightly right in the spot where Tatsuki had shoved him just yesterday; a bruise had already begun to take shape.

"Tell me, Yasutora, what attracted you to my Tatsuki?" she asked, very matter-of-factly.

"Uh…" he stuttered. "Well, she's a beautiful, strong and determined girl, from what I've seen and heard, and from our talks since we met, she's genuinely a pleasure to be around," he replied, his face flushed.

The older woman snickered as she observed his reactions, quite amused that such an intimidating young man could get so easily flustered.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that. It sounds like she picked up her mother's good tastes," she boasted.

Once the kettle boiled over, she served Chad his tea, then set out her own cup, followed by Tatsuki's.

"Well, Yasutora, you seem like a very nice young man, and I can tell that Tatsuki's quite taken with you, so I have no problems with you taking her out."

"Thank you very much, Mrs. Arisawa," replied Chad as he bowed his head and breathed a sigh of relief.

"You seem a bit serious, though," she mused. "Can you overcome that enough to assist me in teasing my daughter a bit before you two have to leave?" she requested with a playful smile on her lips.

"I… suppose I could," he answered, wondering just what the woman had up her sleeve, since he had missed most of the argument between her and Tatsuki on the phone earlier.

"Splendid! Oh, this'll be such fun!" she beamed, clapping her hands together. "Tatsuki, quit daydreaming up there and come help me out! Yasutora will be here any minute, you know!" she bellowed up the stairs.

Tatsuki heard her mother's cries, wondering just what it was that she wanted, throwing on some baggy shorts and a loose t-shirt and running downstairs. "Ugh, what, mom? Can't you see I need to get read…" she trailed off as she laid eyes on Chad, sitting at her dinner table looking quite dapper in his long-sleeve shirt and dark jeans.

"I'm going to kill you, mom!" she yelled back as she bolted up the stairs, slamming the door to her room loudly, ranting incomprehensibly as she dressed herself properly.

The older woman merely laughed, almost doubled over in her amusement as her daughter's muffled complaints went on. Chad smirked a bit, knowing that Tatsuki's threats were nothing serious, and that their mother/daughter bond was very strong.

"Fun, right?" she asked breathlessly, wiping tears from her eyes. "She's going to let me have it so bad later."

The door upstairs swung open and Tatsuki walked angrily down the stairs, her footsteps echoing throughout the residence. She stepped into the kitchen wearing some tight-fitting blue jeans that complimented her sculpted legs quite well, matching it with a long-sleeve turquoise sweater, since it was going to get cold out later that day, and some comfortable sneakers.

"Hey, Chad, I hope you haven't been too bored down here," she greeted him warmly, turning to give her mom a piercingly cold gaze.

"Not at all, your mother was just treating me to some tea," he replied with a smile.

"I'm sorry, Tatsuki, I'll behave," apologized the woman as she served the rest of the tea and laid out the plate of assorted cakes on the table.

Tatsuki sighed heavily, still embarrassed that Chad saw her in such an unkempt state. "Fine," she replied, sitting down to join them, playfully nudging her mom's shoulder as she took her seat. "You're so immature."

"I know," smiled her mother.

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**Hope you guys enjoyed it, and I'll try to write up chapter 4 soon and post it. Remember to review; I'm curious to know how many people are actually still following this inane little story of mine...**


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